Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Zippered Coin Purse

There has been a lot of blogging about zipper pouches lately, and I wanted to add my two cents about how I teach my coin purse! This is the pattern that comes with my Farmer's Market Tote Bag pattern!

I interface the fabric, to make it a bit more rigid, and I make mine about the size of my driver's license and debit card, since that's what I carry. You could make it just about any size. And if you wanted, you could fuse two fabrics together (or quilt them together) and then treat the finished fabric like one piece. Because of how I install the zipper, you have limited scraggly edges, especially if you serge the side seams!

Place the zipper face down on the fabric. The zipper should be slightly longer than the fabric is wide. Here I've used a 7" zipper and the fabric is about 5" wide. Center the zipper on the fabric, aligning the edge of the zipper tape with the raw edge of the fabric. Sew down the center of the zipper tape, using a zipper foot.

Bring the other raw edge of the fabric up to the other side of the zipper tape. The right side of the zipper should be touching the right side (not the interfaced side) of the fabric.

Sew the zipper to the fabric, again aligning the zipper tape with the raw edge of the fabric. Make sure the side seams will line up for the next step!

Here's where my zippered coin purse is different.Instead of having the zipper at the TOP of the purse, align the side seams so that the zipper tape can be completely flat! This means the zipper will lie on the FRONT of the purse.

In the picture you can see I've already sewn one side seam. I had the zipper mostly closed to sew that side, just to make it easier.

Be sure you OPEN THE ZIPPER before you sew the second side seam!

I sew across the zipper teeth a few times, to be sure it is secure!

Once you've sewn both side seams, cut off the excess zipper tape, using sharp scissors. It's important that you've used a nylon zipper, not a metal zipper or you could really trash your scissors. In the picture I'm using applique/embroidery scissors, but only because they were closest to the sewing machine that day!

Trimming the corners before you turn the coin purse right side out removes the excess fabric (and zipper tape) that causes rounded corners.

Here it is finished!

The photos don't show the ribbon being inserted, because it is put in the side seams. But here's how to do it:

On the side with the zipper stop, take 1 1/2" ribbon and fold it in half. Tuck the ribbon under the zipper teeth, with the raw edges of the ribbon lined up with the raw edge of the fabric. At this point, the zipper tape will be extended beyond the raw edge of the fabric, thus hiding the ribbon. Pin the ribbon in place and sew the side seam.

On the side with the zipper pull, take 6" of ribbon and fold it in half. Tuck the folded ribbon under the zipper teeth with the raw edges of the ribbon lined up with the raw edge of fabric. This side is trickier, because the zipper has to be open. Pin the ribbon in place and then place each side of the zipper teeth on top of the ribbon, holding the zipper teeth as close together as possible.

With the long bit of ribbon, you can wear the purse around your wrist or you can attach it to your Farmer's Market Tote Bag! That way your money is close by and doesn't fall to the bottom of the bag!

14 comments:

Hey there, Sally! I can't tell you how many of these cuties I've made since you showed me! They're so fun and so easy! And everyone really likes how the zipper lies flat like that. Too cute. Great design. And so quick with minimal ironing! Hope your summer's going well!

Great tutorial, thanks! I just made one placing the zipper further down than you do and I have only one question and it is this: how can you topstitch/sew down each side of the zipper tape after installation to prevent it from rolling towards the teeth of the zipper and jamming it? I do this when using a separating zipper but I am stumped here. Thanks!

Thanks for a great tutorial. Just made my first one and it looks great. I am ashamed to say that I have tried sewing a coin purse like this before without a bottom seam but was too dense to figure it out. THANKS for the insightful tutorial.

Sally you really have a talent for making something fiddly accessible to a newer sewer like myself..I've managed to make this coin purse in a variety of different shapes now, and have committed it to memory. Thanks so much for your generosity of spirit and knowledge!

Sally, thank you "sew" much for the tutorial. I had seen something like this on TV and tried to write the directions myself then couldn't figure it out. You saved the day for me. What a blessing to find you on the internet. I appreciate your generosity with sharing your talents. God bless!

Who I am

I was born into a family of seamsters, and started sewing at age 4, in my grandma’s sewing room. All the women in my family sew, as well as some of the men, so it was easy and natural to learn. As I was growing up, my mom owned a business teaching children’s sewing, meaning there were always new and interesting projects to try. Most of all, I loved making my own clothes!

My love of sewing never faded, and I worked my way through college in the costume shop of the Theater Department at Willamette University. I learned about period costumes, improved my construction skills, and began designing costumes. As the manager of the costume shop, I was responsible for teaching the new student employees how to sew.

I began writing and publishing my patterns in early 2006, starting with the Farmer’s Market Tote. I will continue to write patterns that cater to beginners. By writing simple patterns with easy instructions, beginners have a fun time and more experienced seamsters have opportunities to embellish the projects.

My experience includes garment making, quilting, home décor, and costume design and construction. I have taught sewing to children, college students, and adults, all with great success!

When I am not creating something new in my studio, I am chasing after my toddler, reading with my almost-Kindergartener or experimenting in the kitchen.